The Imprinted
by Elizabeth4Will
Summary: Jacob is having to explain to Renesme about the imprinting and Renesme has to come to terms with the change in her feelings. Meanwhile, a dark vampire is on a murdering spree to find a way to breed a dark army. Then he finds Renesme. CHANGED & EDITED!


**Author Notes: **Okay this is my first Twilight story. For those who have read my other stories, I WILL be continuing with them soon.

This is my story of Renesme and Jacob, how they came to terms with their deep love and connection. Some things to remember about Renesme – I felt that she would be very confused and overwhelmed by her feelings for Jacob, and the feelings she felt from him. At least at first, this is how the story will play out. But there's a much bigger story going on than just the two of them, and I hope you will enjoy it.

Changes from the book – I've personalised her aging and some aspects of her vampire/human comparisons for my story's benefit, such as she is more on the colder side than hot. So please don't be mad if there are some things that don't seem realistic. I hope the readers can still enjoy my story.

Book One

Jacob

Chapter One

I still didn't understand why Bella and Edward had gone away with Renesme for six whole months. I'd never been away from her for that long, the absence left a pain in my chest. Every day felt like a year, but my family encouraged me to do more with my time. I never realised how much time I'd devoted to her entertainment.

I was on the reservation the day before Renesme's seventh birthday when I received a phone call from her. I'd been sitting on the back porch overlooking the reservation when the phone rang. "Hello," I answered without looking at caller ID.

"Guess who," was the excited reply. It was a voice all too familiar but at the same time different, older, more mature.

"Ness?" I said in confused, looking for clarification.

"Of course," she replied. "How are you, Jake? I've missed you so much."

I found myself grinning and said, "I'm great now I'm talking to you Ness, how's the island?"

She sighed and replied, "It was so beautiful and relaxing, I had so much fun." There was a pause then she added, "You should have come Jake, was a shame you couldn't make it."

Although I didn't know why, I'd been threatened with death if I told Ness that it was her parent's idea that I stay behind. As soon as they returned I was going to sit them down and make them explain, because I knew they had a reason.

"Well I'll come along next time," I replied in a casual tone.

"You haven't even asked why I called," she sounded impatient; I could tell she had something to tell me.

"I just thought it was because you can't live without me," I teased her, knowing this would only irritate her.

"Jaaakeee, I'm trying to tell you something."

"Well what are you waiting for?"

"We're home!"

"What?" I nearly fell out my chair. I stood up and started walking towards the Cullen house, although it was a good twenty minutes away.

"I thought it would be fun to surprise you," she laughed.

"Well you certainly have Nessie; I'm on my way over." I replied, as I started jogging. I would turn and sprint but I couldn't bear to stop hearing her voice.

"Really??" she squealed. "Oh I can't wait."

"I'll be there soon, faster if we get off the phone."

"Okay, okay. I'll see you soon; I can't wait to tell the others." She hung up and I started sprinting, I'd never felt so excited.

As I walked, I thought how much she must have changed in six months. Last night I saw her, she looked like a girl just starting puberty, but the most beautiful girl in the world. The affection and protection I felt towards her gave me a reason to get up in the morning. It was fifteen minutes before I knew I was close.

I slowed down as I jogged through the trees in line with the driveway, walking by the time I reached the stairs leading up to the glass front doors. I looked up as I walked up and saw Alice suddenly appearing at the door, walking through and looking nervous. "Something wrong?" I asked with confusion.

Alice's uneasy expression didn't change but she shook her head. "Nothing is wrong, I just came to warn you," she said in a low voice.

"Warn me?" I asked distractedly, looking past the raven haired vampire.

"Jacob?" Ness' voice sounded from the living room and I took a step towards the room but Alice grabbed my arm.

"She's different," Alice hissed, looking almost urgently at me.

"Difficult?" The realisation of what she meant clicked over in my mind and I added, "But of course she's different, she always is."

"Yes but this is...." she couldn't finish because the approaching footsteps became too close.

I turned and my breath caught in my throat as a stunning young woman practically bounded towards me. I found myself staring at a body that was a seventeen year old, but the glowing brown eyes were the same I remember. Her hair was longer, following nearly to her waist and she threw herself at me, her arms going around my neck. I hugged her back, amazed by how different she felt against me. She was no longer a child, but a grown woman, unbelievably beautiful.

Her hair brushed my face and her scent made me squeeze her closer, spinning us around in a circle until she was squealing. Well at least that hadn't changed. "Oh Nessie," I laughed happily and set her down. I cup her face in my hand, which was large enough to cup an entire side of her head. "You've grown so much."

I saw her cheeks redden and she smiled at me. "Not bad for six months," she boasted proudly.

I looked around the living room and saw that everyone was there, but I'd been so caught up with Renesme I hadn't noticed. Everyone seemed pleased to see me except Edward and Bella. Edward looked more tense than usual and Bella was the same but at least I could see she was trying to hide it. Yes, I definitely needed to talk to them, I thought deliberately making eye contact with Edward who nodded slightly.

"Ness," he said, putting on a casual mask. "Would you help Aunt Rosalie in the kitchen, she's unpacking groceries for you."

Renesme looked confused at her father and then back at me. She put her hand to my cheek, showing me the scene in replay but with her feelings. She really felt it wasn't fair but she nothing, just walked quietly to the kitchen. I immediately sat down on the couch next to the couple and looked at them. Bella started. "We had to take her away while she went through puberty," she explained in a voice that could only be heard by my kind and theirs. Nessie didn't have strong enough hearing to listen; maybe she could if she was in the living room with them.

Bella continued. "Alice saw major problems for her, going through all the hormone changes, her mind advancing, can you imagine having to go from a child to an adult so quickly."

I winced as I imagined. "Was she alright?" I asked, a wave of guilt rushing over me as I realised I had not known.

"It wasn't easy for her," Edward answered. "Bella could help her a lot; she has had the most real and most recent puberty."

"She was better when we could explain what she was going through," Bella added. "Of course, now she's really embracing it. But she still has a certain amount of innocence."

She looked worried and I put a hand on her knee. "She's got a long time to learn about the world, Bella."

My old friend exchanged a look with her husband and I looked at him. "What?" I questioned, knowing there was something that wasn't being said.

Before either could answer Renesme bounded back into the room with Rosalie and Alice, sitting herself at her Mum's feet, a habit of a lifetime. She grinned up at me as Bella ran a hand through her hair. "So what are we going to do to celebrate?" she asked looking at the three on the sofa.

Alice grinned and sat excitedly. "A party!"

Nessie made an excited noise and clapped her hands. "Yes, Aunty Alice that would be perfect."

"And who are we going to invite?" Edward asked, knowing that Renesme didn't know anyone in Capesen, the small vampire friendly town they had settled into about a year ago.

Nessie turned to her father and said, "What if it's just family then." She put her hand on my knee without looking at me still looking at her father pleading with him.

"If that's what you want Nessie," Edward answered smiling at the excited expression of his daughter and sisters. Nessie jumped up and hug him before running over to her Aunts and discuss the plans for tonight.

Everyone went to hunt except Renesme, Alice and myself. I ate some sandwiches in the kitchen and walked around watching the excited pair prepare the house for a party for a bunch of vampires who couldn't have cared less about the decorations. Ever since she was small she had resembled every single one of the Cullen's in different ways, which was of course impossible because she only had the DNA from Bella and Edward. I guess it was just behaviours that's she'd picked up.

I watched in complete awe of her, barely able to make sensible conversation when it was thrown my way by either her or Alice. She was completely breathtaking, as much as she always had been, but I knew as I watched her that I can't see her as that sweet little girl I would do anything to protect. Now she was a young adult, beautiful, strong and generally incredible. There were no words for how I felt about her, how I felt my stomach tighten as I watched her get more and more excited as she stood on a chair and tied streamers to a curtain rod, laughing at a wild suggestion of Alice's. Renesme was perfect, so unspoilt.

"Jake," she called out softly and I looked at her, even though he was on a chair we were still the same height. I was used to towering over everyone, so it was funny walking over to her and standing eye to eye.

I smirked at her and she grinned, passing me the other piece of the streamer. "Can you tie this to the other end please?" she asked, but it sounded more like an instruction.

I did as she asked then watched as she tied a bow around the edge then looked over her work with a critical. A fun thought came to my mind and I walked over to her silently. She focused on her decorations, leaning back on the chair to get a better view and that's when I striked. I grabbed her swiftly by the waist pulled her suddenly off the chair. She screamed and her body jolted, her body's first response was to prepare for the fall. I laughed and threw her in the air and quickly caught her. Ness struggled against me as I pulled her against me.

"Jake!" she yelled in an attempt to sound angry. So I tickled her and she started laughing hard, crying out and struggling.

I lowered her to the ground; she turned and shoved me which made no impact. I laughed and hugged her; she hugged me back, laughing into my chest. "You think you are going to grow any more Nessie?" I asked playfully.

Nessie looked up at me; those warm brown eyes that I love so much were glowing. "I'm hoping I'll get taller why?"

"Cause you're a midget," I replied and she mock gasped.

"Well we can't all be apes," she retorted.

"Oi," I growled playfully. "You want me to tickle you again?"

"No, no, no," she said immediately worried, backing away from me.

I grabbed her arms and smiled at her. Nessie smiled back and I moved my hand up her arm to her neck, and then cupped her face. My hand was so large it held half of her head. I watched her face changed from laughter, to peace then to something I hadn't seen before. As though in slow motion I watched she breathed in shakily, her eyes moved over my face, focusing on my mouth for a slight moment then she looked unsure and backed away from me.

"You okay, Ness?" I asked her curiously, seeing the awkward look on her face. Ness was almost an exact divide of her parents but she had inherited all of her mother's facial expression.

"Yes," she replied with a smile, shaking her head as she was mentally shaking herself. She stepped towards me and wrapped her arms around my waist, placing her head on my chest. "I missed you so much," she added in a whisper.

My arms went on autopilot and pulled her close against me and a placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I missed you too, Nessie." God, she had no idea how much I'd missed it; it was like I couldn't breathe.

I suddenly smelt the presence of her family, the only trace they left as they silently entered the house. "That was a fast hunt," Nessie commented, lifting her head up and looking as her parents entered the room.

"Well you've been busy," Edward commented looking around the room with a smile.

"Alice has taught me well," Nessie replied proudly, moving out of my hold and walking over to a white armchair. She picked up two balloons she'd had me blow up earlier and turned back to me. "Jake can you put these above the door?"

After Nessie and Alice were finally satisfied with the decorations, they disappeared upstairs with Rosalie to get dressed. Carlisle and Esme were cooking in the kitchen, something they had taken a great liking thanks to Nessie and I. The rest of us were sitting in the perfectly decorated living room watching the football.

"I still don't understand why I needed to be kept away from her for so long," I muttered under my breath, once Nessie was no longer a distraction, my thoughts had returned to the pain I'd felt without her.

Edward sighed and glared at him. There was no way he hadn't been reading my thoughts all this time, so I had to say it allowed seeing as he wasn't going to be offering a more in-depth explanation.

"We..." Bella went to answer but hesitated, unsure of how she should say it. "We thought that with you there, Nessie would get very confused about your role in her life."

"Role in her life?" I repeated with a frown.

"Well you've always been there as almost a brother figure," Edward added.

"We thought if she developed feelings for you while she was still trying to come to terms with the normal changes of puberty, things would be too difficult for her." Bella said with a hand on my shoulder.

"The sudden change was hard enough without having to worry about you," Edward finished and I took his words more harshly than I think he intended.

"We love you Jake," Bella said in a louder, firmer voice with a reprimanding glance at her husband. "You and Renesme are supposed to be together, but we couldn't throw it on her as well as everything else she was going through." She smiled and added, "When it does happen between the two of you we want it to go well, there way it is suppose to."

I felt very uncomfortable with the way she was describing my situation, like my life was being planned out according to how they thought it should go. Whatever happened to just letting things take their own course?

"Their own course could have scared Renesme for life," Edward answered. "Alice saw it. This way Ness had time to go through puberty at her own pace; Alice saw that she needed it before her love changed towards you."

"Have you told her about the imprinting?" I was suddenly alarmed at the thought. The idea made me tense; I wasn't sure how she would deal with it.

"Of course not," Bella replied. "That's something that I don't think should be discussed until Ness' feelings changes."

I let out a growl of frustration. "Can you stop talking about it like that Bells?" I put my head in my hands. "She's a person; you make it sound like she doesn't have a choice."

"She's my daughter, Jake," Bella replied, moving her hand to my forearm. "We all know this was going to happen, you should be happy about it."

They didn't understand. I loved their daughter more than anything and I may want more than anything for her to feel the same way about me. But it's not fair to just make it a drawn out conclusion. It was feeling like an arranged marriage. With someone so young and unspoilt they don't even know what love is. "Jacob," Edward began but I growled again and stood, walking out their back door to their verandah, which overlooked the lake.


End file.
